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Monday, September 9, 2013

5 Things You Have to Do This Week

Part competition, part hunger awareness initiative, Canstruction tasks architects, engineers, contractors and their proteges with creating masterpieces using canned goods. Hosted by North Star Mall in conjunction with the Society for Design Administration, the eighth annual event came together on Sunday when 13 teams spent 12 hours making creative use of an estimated 30,000 cans of food—all of which will be donated to the San Antonio Food Bank. The sculptures remain on display in the mall’s common areas through September 21 and the public is encouraged to vote in the People’s Choice Award and donate canned goods (in the Saks Fifth Avenue wing). Also: From noon-3pm on Saturday, September 14, chefs from SAFB will prepare gourmet tastings using canned ingredients. Free, 10am-9pm Mon-Sat, noon-6pm Sun, North Star Mall, 7400 San Pedro, (210) 340-6627, canstruction.org.

2. The Kill the Flowers Project Book Release Slam

Just as PuroSlam kicks off its new Tuesday night residency at Southtown 101, legendary slam master Jason "Shaggy" Gossard celebrates the release of his magnum opus The Kill The Flowers Project. Written over 52 weeks, the collection of 52 poems touches on such timely topics as politics, pop culture, love, Family Guy, Ben Affleck and Farrah Fawcett. Also on the agenda: free speech, a cash prize and music by DJ Donnie Dee. Free, 10pm Tuesday, Southtown 101, 101 Pereida, (210) 263-9880, facebook.com.

3. Lyle Lovett and His Acoustic Group

We here at the Current like to think Lyle Lovett’s celebrated songwriting stems from his study of journalism at Texas A&M, but honestly college buddy Robert Earl Keen might have had even more of an impact. In any case, the obviously talented Texas troubadour is approaching state treasure status as one of the few performers able to unite a multigenerational audience that appreciates standards, country, pop and folk. Lovett is also, according to a trusted source (a drunk limo driver), one of the sweetest celebrities around—a claim his charming stage presence seems to confirm. Here he’s backed not by his large band, but a much smaller acoustic quartet made up of excellent-in-their-own-right musicians, and will play his own long list of hits plus the offbeat covers off his latest record, Release Me, the title a sly nod to it being his final album in a deal he signed with Curb 25 years prior. $40-$75, 8pm Wednesday, Majestic Theatre, 224 E Houston, majesticempire.com.

4. Thomas Dodd

Based in Atlanta and Nashville, Thomas Dodd worked as a harpist during the ’90s, collaborating with the likes of Swans frontman Michael Gira and Celtic-goth outfit Trio Nocturna before turning to photography in 2005. From a distance, one could easily mistake one of his photo-based works for a painting—and that’s the point. Drawing influences from myths, legends and 19th-century art movements including the Symbolists and the Pre-Raphaelites, Dodd stages often-elaborate photographs (ranging from portraiture to fashion) and digitally fuses multiple frames into surreal studies of the female form. Mounted on wood, these composites take on an organic sheen thanks to a coat of beeswax. In conjunction with Fotoseptiembre, AnArte showcases Dodd’s signature technique of “painting with photography.” Free, 6-8pm (talk at 7pm) Wednesday, AnArte Gallery, 7959 Broadway, (210) 826-5674, anartegallery09.com.

5. Korsak

Formed in the Canary Islands, the “multi-cultural, multi-styled” outfit Korsak comprises songwriter/vocalist/guitarist Simon Korsak (UK), guitarist/vocalist Israel García (Spain), bassist Rasty Skocik (Slovakia), drummer/vocalist Aleks Stickabouch (France) and percussionist/vocalist David Lopez Gutierrez (Canary Islands). While their musical influences are “as disparate as their geographical origins,” the quintet delivers a down-to-earth sound in the ballpark of Dave Matthews Band. Anchored in Austin for the month of September, the band plays a free show at Boneshakers in support of their sophomore release Learning To Be Quiet. Free, 9pm Wednesday, Boneshakers Tap House and Pizzeria, (210) 319-8155, korsakmusic.com.